When We Were Very Young

For nearly a century, children and adults alike have delighted in this endearing volume of verse and its whimsical illustrations. Written with simplicity and gentle humor, A. A. Milne’s poems recapture the innocence of childhood and the wonder of everyday situations, from putting on boots for a rainy day to birdwatching and gazing at a cloudy sky. Alert readers will recognize the narrator of “Teddy Bear,” a poem that originally appeared in Punch magazine in 1924 and marked the debut of Winnie-the-Pooh (here named “Mr. Edward Bear” by the author’s son, Christopher Robin Milne). The verses’ imaginative rhymes and rhythms make them a joy to read aloud, and Ernest H. Shepard’s drawings provide memorable accompaniment.

Author Biography

English author A. A. Milne (1882-1956) is best remembered for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh. He was a noted writer beyond his stories of the Hundred Acre Wood; known primarily as a playwright, he also wrote the ingenious locked-room caper, The Red House Mystery. Artist Ernest H. Shepard (1879-1976) worked on the staff of Punch magazine, even while serving with distinction during the First World War, and he illustrated children’s books for more than 50 years. He reputedly based his pictures of the Pooh characters on toys owned by Christopher Robin Milne.